I've beean hearing rumors of the Lego contract with Star Wars. Some say that after 2011, Lego has no intention of renewing the contract with LucasFilm and that these are the final years. I am just wondering if this is true or not.

Does anyone have any info related to this, or know if it false, or is basically a rumor?_________________

I agree, this is a money maker for LEGO and has brought a lot of people out of retirement because they loved LEGO when they were a kid and now as an adult they have LEGO Star Wars, I know that is how I started back into it.

I can't see their books in what they take in on it, but I'd imagine it's not too shabby._________________-< Capt. Maarek >-BrickShelf Gallery|Flickr

Not to mention the fact that there's fresh materials, so the line will stay quite fresh until the Clone Wars stuff runs it's course.

And we all know that Lucas will young lady of dubious merit the franchise even more once that's done..._________________Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe. - Albert Einstein

I have to agree with Nick here. I think Lucas will try and milk this cow for as much as its worth, and he's been doing it for years. I wouldn't be surprised if Lego and/or Lucasfilm attempted to extend the contract even further.

I think LEGO is just playing hard to get, so that way once 2011 comes by, they can get a good deal on a license renewal. And as you guys have said, Lucas will milk Star Wars until the day he passes away, I can see him on his death bed directing Star Wars Epidode 5 and 2/3 of a quarter The license will go on, with the Clone Wars series, and the live action series supposudly coming out in 2010. And Lucas is just going to milk this cow dry, and I mean dry. I have a question, does anyone know how the License renewal went in 05 (it was 05, right?), because that could show us how this one might go._________________BOO!

Part of me wishes they would stop, just so I can stop collecting and not have the urge to buy more. But I still love new Star Wars Lego regardless, so the magority of me doesn't want thi s to be true.
I don't believe they will stop the licence in 2011_________________DeviantART|Brickshelf

I am positive that their will be an extension. The $ generated by Lego that fall into Lucas's wallet must be immense. He has got children to feed.

In fact, to add speculation about Lego's involvement with the SW franchise, here is some food for thought.
While watching "The Clone Wars" movie, I noticed a gun held by one of the troops that was a dead ringer for the Lego rifle (the larger of the two black rifles that came out with the Clone/Droid BP's). It makes me wonder which came first, the chicken or the egg? The battle packs have been out for a while and the animations would have been completed only recently. Did they animate the gun from Lego's design or vice versa.

Also, the placement of the new "shuttle" in what is essentially the first three episodes of the CW franchise, carrying the two clone scout troopers, is suspect. This would make a perfect chance to make a set with the new craft and two new minifigs. Makes you wonder._________________"Wow! Did you see that Jawa's head come apart man?!?

Still, nobody's pretending these movies aren't designed and destined for millions of franchise sales. It's the nature of the beast._________________2nd-hand LittleArmory|brickshelf|FLICKR
When the Lord spits in your face, he’s trying to cure you of something.--John 9:1-41

Milk the cow dry? Who is milking who? I would say that there is a chance that SW sets will become more limited in their release and that SW might not draw the same attention it did in 00-06 but Lego will make a comeback with "vintage" sets come due re-license time. Lego and SW is as strong as the glue that binds them and the glue is you. Continuous Lego sets that have lasted are Space, Medieval, Adventure and Structure/Construction. The question should be can Lego still sell the same figures with different color bricks for the same vehicle in a different movie time and time again? Lego will still be Lego as long as it does not bend its bricks to follow Lucas down a dead end (brick)road.

The question should be can Lego still sell the same figures with different color bricks for the same vehicle in a different movie time and time again?

Most definitely. Considering even many members here didn't get their first lego sets until a couple years ago, re-makes won't hurt Lego at all. Even with huge price increases, the CW sets are selling like hot cakes. If price doesn't persuade the consumer, nothing will._________________XBLive = BlitzKreger
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Considering that the live action series is most likely to air in 2010 or 2011 and the promise of more animated series in the future (assuming the Clone Wars does well), I wouldn't be surprised if they re-upped._________________

I wouldn't mind if they took a year off or so, but I'd like to see it continue.

I agree with you Quin, I would love for them to take a year break or so. It does get alittle annoying that once you save up the cash for the sets realesed in the summer, LEGO throws out the new winter sets, so if you don't have a job, etc, you have to constantly save up your money and you have to get the sets before they sell out, and it can get stressful at times.

So if LEGO could take a year break, allow us to save up the money, then start back up with some great ideas, that would be 100% okay with me. Anyone else know what I am saying?_________________BOO!

so if you don't have a job, etc, you have to constantly save up your money

I have a job (several), and I don't find it very easy either. If you can manage to keep up with half the sets without a job, you're doing AWFULLY well.

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and you have to get the sets before they sell out, and it can get stressful at times.

LEGO is probably not worth stress. This means MOCs take a lot longer to finish and you have to pick and choose your buys sparingly. Nonetheless, never let any hobby get stressful, or else you're ruining the point.

Just about every year since the birth of the lego speeder bike, we have seen these questions asked, It has been going on for almost 9 years now, so don't sweat it.... 'Town' is/was profitable...How long is/did 'Town' go for..... I rest my case._________________Lego Custom Models 4 Sale...

Yeah, but they don't have to pay any outside company to make those products, so it can be less profitable and still make them more money than Star Wars. It also appeals to a wider audience because not everyone digs Star Wars but pretty much any parent can look at any town set and think "Hmm, my kid might like that."

Duckman, I'm not saying your wrong or anything, just that the Town analogy sucked.

Yeah, but they don't have to pay any outside company to make those products, so it can be less profitable and still make them more money than Star Wars. It also appeals to a wider audience because not everyone digs Star Wars but pretty much any parent can look at any town set and think "Hmm, my kid might like that."

Duckman, I'm not saying your wrong or anything, just that the Town analogy sucked.

It looks like LEGO still maintains a decent profit margin with Star Wars LEGO. A LEGO brand set is usually cheaper than a SW set with a comparable piece count. I always assumed the extra price for SW sets covered the licensing fee. With that in mind, paying an outside company for the license should not make much of a difference if LEGO keeps the same margin and passes the extra licensing charges to the consumer._________________My current
Ebay auctions.

so if you don't have a job, etc, you have to constantly save up your money

I have a job (several), and I don't find it very easy either. If you can manage to keep up with half the sets without a job, you're doing AWFULLY well.

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and you have to get the sets before they sell out, and it can get stressful at times.

LEGO is probably not worth stress. This means MOCs take a lot longer to finish and you have to pick and choose your buys sparingly. Nonetheless, never let any hobby get stressful, or else you're ruining the point.

Ya, mowing the grass and the occasional babysitting, doing things for neighbors etc is my means of money until March when I turn 16 and can FINALLY get a job. And as for what you said about the stress thing, your right, I shouldn't let it stress me out. Thanks.

Anyway, now thinking about it, Star Wars is starting to be the same old thing. Once 2011 comes around, it will be re-realeses and maybe poorly designed sets. I hate to say it, but by 2011, I don't want Star Wars LEGO anymore, because it wont be as good. They are going to run out of ideas, and even though Lucas wants it to go on forever until every last penny is his, Star Wars will have to end one day or another. But hopefully thats AFTER episodes 7-9 are made _________________BOO!

I can see no reason why either TLG or LucasArts wouldn't seek to renew the license beyond 2011. The only possibility is if George gets greedy and tries to up the fees, and TLG walks away. This would just leave the door open to MB, or similar, which I have to say, would kill it off fairly quickly. And I would hope that LucasArts is shrewd enough at what it does to realise this.

the thrasher wrote:

will be re-realeses and maybe poorly designed sets.

I'm not sure what loss of skill or vision you think will befall TLG's designers, but just look on Lugnet, or Brickset at the evolution of sets over the last ten years. Across all lines.
Yes, it's going to be re-releases, and the same iconic ships and figures over again. These are often improvements over the previous versions (which a quick search will show is debatable...), as TLG increases it's parts palette, and the designers use much more complex building techniques.
What has to be remembered is that the market for SW Lego is always being renewed, as kids grow up to enter the 'demographic'. So re-releases aren't an issue, and indeed if you don't re-release those iconic sets, it opens a hole in the range - imagine 3 years from now, someone moaning on this forum that they never had a chance to get an X-Wing, and don't want to pay eBay scalpers.

The SW Lego phenomenon should continue as long as both Lego and Star Wars are popular. The ongoing popularity of Lego is well documented, being labeled toy of the century and the like. It clearly taps into something in the human psyche.
To George's credit, Star Wars seems to do similar. I can't really think of any other modern story (okay, so it's quite an old plot line) that has held up so well over time. It captivates kids, and holds onto them. And has been doing for 30 years. It will probably last another 30.
And let's not forget that LucasArts also has to keep Star Wars fresh, which should provide TLG with more material to work with.

the thrasher wrote:

But hopefully thats AFTER episodes 7-9 are made

Well, given it took three years per episode for 1-3, Even if they started filming today, it's be 2011 before it hit the cinemas...

Having said all that, I too wish for an end. As a completist collector, it has truly tested my faith, and wallet. And this year I've had real SW Lego fatigue. I think in part due to some of the sets being a bit 'stretching the envelope' - such as that Black thing with battled damaged Vader . And part in due to Lego's own success, There's so many great lines now, back in 1999 SW Lego was the only line that didn't suck (apologies if I offend anyone, but from an AFOLs point of view, they were all aimed squarely at kids). SW Lego was something new, fresh and brilliant, and nearly 10 years on it's just as, if not more, popular.

I'm not sure what loss of skill or vision you think will befall TLG's designers, but just look on Lugnet, or Brickset at the evolution of sets over the last ten years. Across all lines.
Yes, it's going to be re-releases, and the same iconic ships and figures over again. These are often improvements over the previous versions (which a quick search will show is debatable...), as TLG increases it's parts palette, and the designers use much more complex building techniques.
What has to be remembered is that the market for SW Lego is always being renewed, as kids grow up to enter the 'demographic'. So re-releases aren't an issue, and indeed if you don't re-release those iconic sets, it opens a hole in the range - imagine 3 years from now, someone moaning on this forum that they never had a chance to get an X-Wing, and don't want to pay eBay scalpers.

What I meant by saying that was that if Lucas doesn't create something new, then LEGO wont have as many options. I I didn't necesarilly mean they would make bad sets, but they might get lazy after awhile doing the same thing over and over. But I see what you mean, there will always be a new audience of kids who never got that X-Wing or that Millenium Falcon, so there will always be people that will buy the sets. But remember, we have the new Live Action series in 2010, and that is sure to bring us some new sets, and maybe a License renewal, and then that means an empty wallet and the cycle continues _________________BOO!

All that says that it will "end" in 2011. But they said it would last in 2007 before untill they renewed the licence.
So I REALLY dougt it will end in 2011. Lego and Star Wars both make a good prophit out of this. They wouldn't throw it away.
After all Star Wars is one of Lego's highest selling themes._________________DeviantART|Brickshelf

Joined: 12 Sep 2005Location: An X-Wing crashed in the Eiffel Tower - not the Vegas one !!

Posted: Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:31 am Post subject:

I reallty can't see TLCC not renewing the license I have to say.

Ir was SW which really saved TLG and still make a huge part of their benefits. So killing the golden egg chicken would be stupid IMO.

Also there is still a lot that need to be done from the OT and PT + add the Force Unleasehed video game, the Clone Wars series and the live action series: a huge set potential that can expand to numerous years after 2011.

The key thing to remember in discussions of license renewal, is that Lucasfilm (or more accurately Lucas Licensing) holds all the cards. Even if the Star Wars line is still profitable for LEGO in 2011 and they want to renew the license, Lucas Licensing has to give LEGO the opportunity to renew the license or else there's nothing LEGO can do to continue the Star Wars line.

I wouldn't be surprised if it were to be renewed again. If Star Wars is still relevant and selling that is, and it will be. Hasn't it been said that average lifespan of a normal* LEGO player is five years? That's why a remake is a good thing every four to five years, there is a new crop coming in and an old one going out. Star Wars is what gets consumers into the LEGO aisle in the first place and that's how the other themes are exposed to mom, dads and grandparents. You know, the people who don't care about it and don't pore over pics on the internets.